As each minute passed away in Kansas City, it looked like the Denver Broncos would end the Chiefs‘ unbeaten record on Sunday. It was not until the final six minutes that the Chiefs found themselves ahead for the first time. After leading for all three quarters and the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Broncos were all set to cause an upset at Arrowhead. However, an unlikely hero popped up from the special teams to help the Chiefs keep their record intact going into week 11.

It was special teams Leo Chenal who blocked a 35-yard field goal attempt by Denver’s kicker Wil Lutz. This got Patrick Mahomes running like crazy as he celebrated the Chiefs win on the final play. After he missed an open TD chance to Travis Kelce on their final possession, he couldn’t help but express his happiness with Leo stepping up, “I was happy, man. I was happy that we ended with that block, and Leo got through there, and it was just joy after.” 

With the final six minutes remaining, Broncos QB Bo Nix didn’t commit a turnover that allowed them to set up the field goal attempt. However, the defensive coordinator of the Chiefs, Steve Spagnuolo, already had a plan set up to keep the Broncos scoreless in the second half. He decided to throw in his finest field goal blockers, defensive tackle Mike Pennel, defensive end George Karlaftis, and, of course, the unlikely hero Leo Chanel.

Him leaping the highest helped the Chiefs extend their unbeaten record to 9-0 for the season. Well, it also helped the fans remember last year’s Super Bowl LVIII moment. When Chenal also blocked the 49ers’ extra-point attempt, the Chiefs went onto force overtime. And we all know what happened after that, as Mahomes found WR Mecole Hardman for a simple 3-yard TD. However, taking nothing away from the Broncos, they did their part. Bo Nix was left heartbroken after last-minute heroics from the Chiefs.

Bo Nix returns empty-handed as the Chiefs make it 9 in a row on Sunday

Coming out of Oregon Ducks, Bo Nix could have had a fairy tail ending on Sunday. He might have gone down the record books as the rookie QB who snapped the Chiefs’ winning run. He was perfect until the final second when the Broncos set up for a field goal. Didn’t throw an interception and misplaced any passes during that final drive. Nix and the Broncos couldn’t get it done. “It doesn’t hurt you if you don’t care. Everybody in that locker room is hurt. Eventually, it’s going to go in our favor. The easy thing to do is give in. But I feel like our locker room is going to respond.”

Well, Nix did all he could as he finished with 215 yards and 2 TDs while completing 22-of-30 passes. Even in the first half, he was simply brilliant as the Broncos QB completed 14 of his 20 passes while throwing two TDs. And to add onto those plaudits, he found eight different receivers on the offense at Arrowhead.

Him playing with such precision also helped Denver’s rookie receiver Devaugh Vele to score his first TD of the season. However, in the second half, the Broncos just couldn’t get past the defense as they lost it with the final play in Kansas City. As they return to Denver empty-handed, this loss will surely haunt the Broncos moving forward. But it would also test their determination to get over the heart-breaking loss and finish games much earlier instead of relying on the final play.